July 15th 2024
IT may have been a comfortable win in the end for the under-20s after falling behind early on at Forres Mechanics but coach Stuart Finnie felt his side could have had more than the five goals they put past the hosts at Mosset Park. The Can Cans went in front early on but strikes from Seamus McConaghy and Ian Payne turned the tables before the break with Alex Geddes and substitutes Ciaran Young and Sean McWilliams on target to make the points safe in the second half. Finnie said: “I thought we were too slack to start with, culminating in a couple of errors leading up to their goal. Thankfully, we woke up a bit after that and got the ball down and started moving it quicker." “Both of our goals in the first half were from good play and good balls into the box, so that was pleased. I then said at half time that we just had to keep doing the right things and we would get the chances to score more goals and thankfully, we kept the ball moving and kept creating. The only downside is when we lost our concentration, we gave them a couple of opportunities that on another night, could have been punished more.” He added: “I must say, when we move the ball about like we did in the first 35 minutes against Clach last week and most of the game tonight that it is a pleasure to watch. We have a really exciting team but they must continue to put the work in and have the desire to make themselves better." “We now have a tough game next Monday against a good Brora team, so we will work hard in training this week and get ready for that.” The hosts went in front with 10 minutes on the clock after capitalising on a slack pass in the Nairn half before working the ball forward to beat County goalkeeper, Fraser Wilkie. But that only shook Nairn into life and on 20 minutes, Tom Maclennan’s pass put Ian Payne in behind the Forres defence and his cut back was stroked home by Seamus McConaghy. It was rolls reversed seven minutes later as Nairn took the lead. Jack W. Maclean played a good ball down the left touchline for McConaghy to run on to. He then played a brilliant ball across the Forres penalty area with the outside of his boot for Ian Payne to tap in and give County the lead. Forres almost caught Nairn napping to force an equaliser before McConaghy’s ball across goal was just missed by Payne, Alex Geddes sent a lob wide of target and McConaghy chipped into the goalkeeper’s hands all for the visitors. After the restart, Nairn’s half time substitute Sean McWilliams found some joy down the left but on two occasions, his inviting deliveries found no takers. Then, a Maclennan slide rule pass on 55 minutes put Payne in on goal and although his shot was saved by the goalkeeper, Alex Geddes was on hand to knock home the rebound. Good work down the left by Maclean and McWilliams setup County’s next goal as they worked the ball into the box for Ciaran Young to score with his first touch after coming on as a substitute. It could have been more for Nairn but Euan Wheeler missed the target from a few yards out after connecting with a corner kick into the danger area. A towering header by centre half Harry Barron turned defence into attack for Nairn with 20 minutes remaining as his headed clearance ran all the way through for Sean McWilliams to go one-on-one with the Forres goalkeeper. And the winger coolly placed his shot across goal and into the net for his second goal in as many games to make it 5-1. County could have increased their lead after Young was fouled in the penalty area. He took the spot kick himself but it was saved by the goalkeeper down to his left and in the closing stages before Craig Munro and Jack W. Maclean saw efforts from corners either saved by the goalkeeper and go just wide respectively. Nairn County – Wilkie, Cuthbert, Jack W. Maclean, Munro, Wheeler (Barron 70), Ednie (Cameron Maclean 65), Payne (Eadie 70), Maclennan, Geddes (Young 63), McConaghy, Fernandino-Soto (McWilliams 46). Subs unused: -.
